THE great and the good gathered at York Racecourse this week as the curtain came down on Wayne Hall's testimonial year.

It was a tribute to Hall's popularity that Wednes-day's Sportsman's Dinner was so well attended, despite it clashing with Leeds United's Champions League semi-final clash with Valencia.

Former City players Dean Kiely, Andy McMillan, Gary Himsworth, Chris Topping, Jimmy Seal, Phil Burrows, Graeme Craw-ford, Iain Dunn, Gary Ford, Glenn Naylor and Steve Tutill were all there.

BBC Look North presenter Harry Gration, the guest speaker, made a point of highlighting the fact there weren't more representatives from the club in attendance to pay homage to one of its favourite sons.

True enough, while public relations officer Sophie McGill, groundsman Bryan Horner and mascot Yorkie were there, current City players and officials were noticeable by their absence.

However, I understand it was not a snub by the club. Indeed, the club actually broke with tradition when the chairman and directors attended Ginner's first meal, in February last year.

It is normally the club's policy not to attend testimonial dinners for players, but they actually made an exception for Hall first time around because of his unstinting service.

In any case, fans have a chance to do it all again later this month when City host their own Sports-man's Dinner, again at the Racecourse, on May 24.

The event will feature former Wimbledon and Barnsley manager Dave Bassett, comedian Syd Tate and David Kendall as master of ceremonies.

Tickets, priced £29, are available by telephoning James Richardson on 01904 624447, extension 6.

AFTER the terrible luck with injuries York City have suffered this season, it was perhaps predictable that the latest to suffer should be none other than club physio Jeff Miller.

Miller was not at Gay Meadow on Tuesday night, where the club's youth team physio filled the breach when Lee Bullock suffered a twisted ankle.

Boss Terry Dolan later confirmed Miller had undergone routine surgery on a hernia problem. We wish him a speedy recovery.

FORMER York City midfielder Martin Garratt's latest bid to resurrect his career took him to Hull City this week.

Tigers chief Brian Little - brother of former City boss Alan, who first gave the youngster his League bow at Bootham Crescent - checked out Garratt and five other trialists in Hull reserves' 2-0 loss at Halifax.

Garratt, once rated as City's brightest prospect, left York just over a year ago after being sacked for disciplinary problems. He has so far tried without success to kick-start his career elsewhere.

Former York City defender Graham Rennison, released by the club a couple of years ago, has been named players' player of they year at Whitby Town, who have finished in the bottom half of the UniBond League premier division.

IT was probably no surprise that no City player made the PFA Third Division representative side which was unveiled this week.

The team was: Mike Pollitt (Chester-field), Josh Low (Cardiff), Matt Lockwood (Orient), Steve Blather-wick (Chesterfield), Danny Cullip (Brighton), Lee Hodges (Scunthor-pe), Darren Currie (Barnet), Paul Simpson (Blackpool), Tommy Miller (Hartlepool), Bobby Zamora (Brigh-ton), Robert Earnshaw (Cardiff).

THIS is the last Dave's Diary of the season. A review of City's season, complete with player profiles and statistics, will be published in Wednesday's Evening Press.